BLM begins emergency operations on lands burned in the Carr Fire

REDDING, Calif. — The Bureau of Land Management announced on Monday that they are beginning work on emergency projects intended to address the damage to public lands caused by the Carr Fire.

Natural resource specialists in the Redding Field Office are working from an Emergency Stabilization and Rehabilitation plan that calls for the protection of watersheds that will be vulnerable to excessive runoff during winter storms, removal of trees at risk of falling, replacement of bridges and culverts on recreation trails, fence and sign exposed mine shafts and protecting cultural and historic resource sites.

“A unique challenge along our trail network will be providing safety measures to keep visitors out of the 20 vertical and horizontal mine shafts that were exposed when vegetation was burned away,” said Jennifer Mata, manager of the BLM Redding Field Office. “In the short term we will fence and sign these hazards. In the long term we will permanently block or seal these features to prevent access.”

BLM workers will also replaced burned bridges, trail signs and fix trails that were damaged in the Carr Fire.

BLM specialists will also be monitoring public lands for invasive weeds.

“This is important work because invasive weeds displace native plants important in maintaining a diverse and healthy wildlife population,” said Mata. “We will also be replanting native species in some burned areas, and hope to provide opportunities for volunteers to help out.”